Zagunis proud to be voted American flag bearer by team-mates

American fencer Mariel Zagunis has expressed her pride at being named Team USA flagbearer.

The 27-year-old, who won gold medals in the individual sabre at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, was nominated by her fellow Team USA athletes to lead them out at Friday's opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium.

'I found out less than 24 hours ago and it's a great honour to be nominated by my fellow athletes,' she said.

Proud: Mariel Zagunis will carry the banner

'To lead them into the opening ceremony for the Olympic Games and be the representative for Team USA means so much to me. It's a huge, huge honour.

'There are more women than men in Team USA for the first time so having a female flagbearer is very meaningful and having a fencer is special. I'm the third fencer in history to ever have this opportunity and it really means the world to me.

'I am such a fan of the Olympics, so to have this opportunity means such a lot to me and I am very, very proud.

'This will be one of my best Olympic memories. It's the cherry on top of a cake already piled high with cherries.'